(last updated April 9, 2024)
When will changes be implemented?
- Health insurance caps: April 1, 2024, not retroactive.
- Lump sums will be paid April 12
- Year 1 COLAs will be included by your April 1 paycheck (FT faculty and AP) and April 26 paycheck (PT faculty)
- Retroactive COLA will be included in your May 1 (FT and AP) and May 24 paychecks (PT)
- Non-economic changes are in effect as of February 17.
What is the difference between lump sum, COLA, retroactive COLA?
- Lump sum payments are one-time cash payments, kind of like a bonus
- COLA is a Cost of Living Allowance, or a percentage-based increase in your salary.
- Retroactive COLA is payment for salary increases dating back to September 2023, when the contract expired. Typically we aim to conclude contract negotiations before the contract expires, but that didn’t happen this time.
Why did we settle for 6% and 8% COLAs instead of holding out for more?
While we did hope for slightly higher COLAs in 23-24 and 24-25, 6% and 8% are still historically high —FFAP has not seen COLAs in this ballpark for over 40 years! For a recent reference point, Portland Association of Teachers went on strike for 15 days to win a 13.75% COLA over three years, whereas we won 14% over two without having to go on strike!
Beyond that, after months of negotiations and our number-crunchers on the Bargaining Team taking a look, we estimated the College had about $38M of “new money” to spend on our union’s economic package. In order to keep other important items like better pay equity for PT Faculty, increases to health insurance caps, the new AP top step, etc., we lowered our COLA asks to make sure we could get those wins for our members as well.
Explain new top step for APs
A new top step will be added to the AP salary schedule, and step 1 will be eliminated. Then the steps will be re-numbered, with current step 2 becoming the new step 1, current step 3 becoming the new step 2, and so on. The upshot is that all APs will receive the 3.5% pay increase associated with step movement, but your actual step number will remain the same in 2024-25.
How do I figure out what step I’m at?
PT Faculty: In MyPCC, click on the Employee tab, then My job details, Employee Services, Pay Information, then click on the last link “Part-time Faculty Step Placement”
FT Employees: In MyPCC, click on the Employee tab, then my job details, click on your job title, then look at the column titled “Pay Amount.” This is your annual salary. Write it down, then go to the AP Salary Schedule 2022-2023 [pdf] (APs) or the Full-time 2022-2023 (FT Faculty) and locate your salary and corresponding step.
Will the provision allowing PT faculty hired into a temporary or permanent FT position to retain their current step be retroactive?
Yes, retroactive to Sept. 1, 2023, so this will apply to any former PT faculty who began work as a FT instructor in fall 2023.
Does the COLA, step increase, and lump sum still apply if someone is or was out for a few weeks on FMLA?
For the COLA going forward, the step increase, and the lump sum all apply. For the retroactive COLA, as long as the paid leave was from the person’s earned sick or vacation leave, then the retro COLA will apply. However if the leave was through the Oregon Paid Leave Act, then the retro COLA will not apply to those payments, nor would it apply if an unpaid leave.
How might the FFAP TA affect the process the Classified Union is going through?
We hope that a strong contract for FFAP will also mean a strong contract for FCE. You can help by showing up to FCE events and actions in solidarity with our union colleagues. Check your email for more information about these events and please support them like they supported FFAP!
How does the new contract impact FT faculty office hours and time spent on campus?
FT faculty are no longer required to spend a minimum of 30 hours per week on campus, and although the contract still stipulates a 35-hour work week, there is more flexibility around how, and in what modality, that is met. Office hours language has been updated to allow faculty to meet students at the times and modalities that students need.